CEBU, Philippines — As the Philippines braces for the May 12 midterm elections, Alphabet Inc.'s Google and YouTube have ramped up initiatives to deliver credible election information while guarding against digital misinformation on their platforms.
In a strategic push to connect Filipino voters with verified data, YouTube will introduce information panels above search results related to senatorial candidates.
These panels will display key biographical data and offer click-through access to broader Google Search results, enhancing voter engagement through curated content.
On election day, YouTube will host a dedicated homepage shelf featuring live streams from authoritative media outlets in English and Filipino. The Commission on Elections’ (COMELEC) “How to Vote” playlist will also receive promotion across the platform, offering procedural guidance and requirements for voters.
Meanwhile, Google’s core Search product will continue to prioritize authoritative content on election-related queries through its ranking systems. The company said these tools aim to provide essential context amid a high-stakes political environment.
With global scrutiny on Big Tech’s role in elections, Google in an official statement emphasized longstanding safeguards against platform misuse.
YouTube’s Community Guidelines prohibit content that misleads voters, promotes conspiracy theories, incites violence, or interferes with electoral processes.
Between October and December 2024, over 153,000 videos originating from the Philippines were removed for violating platform policies, placing the country eighth globally in terms of content takedowns.
Repeat violations can result in channel termination, underlining the platform's tightening stance on election-related misinformation.
Addressing the AI Challenge
As generative AI becomes more pervasive, Google and YouTube have implemented transparency measures around AI-generated and altered content.
YouTube now requires creators to disclose the use of synthetic media, with labels displayed on the description panel or directly on the video player for election-related content.
Google Search has also rolled out tools such as “About this Image” and a double-check feature in Gemini, which assess the credibility and corroboration of content across the web.
In parallel, Google is embedding digital watermarks in AI-generated images using DeepMind’s SynthID and adopting C2PA technical metadata standards for transparency in ads, search, and video.
Partnerships in Media Literacy and Government Collaboration
In lieu of political advertising during the election period, Google is investing in education-based partnerships and media literacy programs. Collaborating with local organization CANVAS, it launched YOUTHink, a regional media literacy publication available in Filipino, Cebuano, and Ilocano.
To support government transparency efforts, Google also conducted training workshops for COMELEC staff, covering content moderation processes, election integrity protocols, and escalation channels for policy violations.
“Supporting the elections is important to Google and YouTube,” said Yves Gonzalez, Head of Public Policy and Government Relations at Google Philippines, emphasizing the company’s committed to close collaboration with the government, media, and civil society “to ensure access to trustworthy information and safeguard our platforms.”
COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Mojica Garcia praised the initiative, saying “A well-informed electorate is central to credible elections. We commend Google for their vital contributions to empowering Filipino voters through accessible and reliable information.” — (FREEMAN)